Long Island veterans joined Assemblyman Mike LiPetri in Massapequa Saturday to urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo to restore millions of dollars cut from the proposed budget that were meant to provide counseling to veterans.

Speaking at the American Legion Post 1066, LiPetri (R-Massapequa) asked the governor to “prioritize our veterans” and restore $9.1 million in proposed cuts.

“Is this the message we want New York sending to the men and women who protected our freedom from enemies within and without the United States?” he asked.

A total of $5.4 million of the cuts would affect the Veterans Counseling Services Program and $3.7 million would be cut from the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Counselling Program.

Veterans like Eric Spinner say this just shouldn't be happening. 

“Our veterans did not question when they signed on the dotted line and offered up to their life for this country…It's now time for our country to come through and make sure our veterans are taken care of,” he told News 12.